Is Sue Bird related to Larry Bird? Revisiting former WNBA star's admission about relation with NBA legend

Modified Apr 05, 2024 15:33 GMT

Larry Bird is one of the greatest players in NBA history, while Sue Bird is one of the WNBA's biggest stars ever. Both have the same surname; both are great players; both are shooters and playmakers, but are they related? Let's revisit what the WNBA legend admitted about her relationship with "Larry Legend."

In an interview with the Business Insider in 2022, Sue opened up about her relationship with Larry. The two are not related, but there was a time during her childhood wherein she told people that the Boston Celtics legend was "Uncle Larry."

"It's like a famous story in my childhood school and neighborhood that I lied and I would tell people he was my uncle like all the time," Sue said. "I mean, I was like 6 or 7, so I feel like that's excusable."

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Larry Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana but grew up in French Lick. Sue Bird, meanwhile, was born and raised in New York City. Her father's parents were originally from Ukraine, and their original surname was "Boorda."

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Larry Bird's NBA career

Larry Bird is considered one of the greatest players in NBA history, with some even having him in the top-10. Bird played his entire career with the Boston Celtics, from 1979 to 1992. He won three NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVPs.

Bird was also named the league MVP three straight times, from 1984 to 1986 and no one has accomplished that feat since. He's best known for his shooting and playmaking, but his trash talk was legendary.

"The Hick from French Lick" also has one gold medal as part of the Dream Team and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice. Some even credit Bird's rivalry with Magic Johnson as the savior of the NBA during the 1980s.

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Sue Bird's WNBA career

After a successful college career at UConn, Sue Bird was drafted first overall by the Seattle Storm in 2002. Her career lasted for 20 seasons, retiring with five WNBA championships. She was also a 13-time All-Star and led the league in assists three times.

Bird also played 10 seasons in Russia for three teams – Dynamo Moscow, Spartak Moscow and UMMC Ekaterinburg. She won four straight EuroLeague Women's Championships with Spartak from 2007 to 2010 and won her fifth with Ekaterinburg in 2013.